This invention relates to a valve kit for replacing a conventional elbow fitting connecting anesthetic supply hoses to the anesthetic mask.
In order to maintain sterile conditions in the operating room, it has become the accepted practice to utilize as many disposable items as possible. Because of the problems of decontamination and sterilization, the expense of maintaining many items in a sterile condition often exceeds the cost of the item. This is particularly true for anesthetic masks and immediately associated components which receive a high degree of contamination from intimate patient contact, yet are of a nature that can be inexpensively fabricated and easily disposed. Apparently because of the desire to minimize costs of this disposable item little consideration has been given to relieving annoying conditions attendant in the use of conventional equipment. While there are certain advantages to components of simple design, in the avoidance of system failure, certain conditions in the use of the conventionally designed anesthetic mask exceeds annoyance and poses a danger to both patient and operating room staff.
It is the practice in administering an anesthetic to a patient via a face mask to simply set the mask and supply hose aside to an immediately accessible location, for example, on the patient's chest, when it is desired to examine the patient's mouth to insure a clear passage or to temporarily withdraw anesthetic gas from the patient. In the procedure where the mask is withdrawn for replacement with an endotrachial tube, the mask is necessarily left unattended while preparation of the patient and insertion of the tube is accomplished. During these periods, which are intended to be brief and temporary, the anesthetic gas continues to flow through the hoses and mask and into the operating rooms. Occasionally, the patient requires coincident emergency attention which may divert notice of the condition of the anesthetic mask, causing unacceptable amounts of gas to flow into the operating room. The anesthetic gas may adversely affect the health of the patient or the judgment of the operating staff, and is an occurance to be avoided.
While anesthetic systems have shut-off valves at the gas supply source, these shut-offs are not conveniently located and are often ignored during intended brief removals of the mask. Replacement of the mask with the endotrachial tube is always intended to be brief and would only be complicated by inconvenient valve manipulations. Because such valves often regulate the level of flow as well as on-off conditions, the valves are sometimes avoided because of the requirement for resetting to the desired level once gas is to be readministered. Further, the time delay and removal of attention by the attendant from the patient when making adjustments in the supply valves tends to encourage allowing gases to continue flowing.
While certain valve systems have been considered by applicants, for example, a simple stopcock, it is apparent that most valve systems lack clear indicia of whether the system is on or off. In the high stress environment of the operating room, this is necessary to prevent an inadvertent error.
The valve system of this invention is devised for location at the mask site for convenience and is activated for gas flow only when connected to a mask or a substituted trachea tube. When separated from mask or endotrachial tube, the valve is in an off condition, the separation providing the clear indicia of the state of the valve.